Theodore Pike

Sir Theodore Ouseley Pike KCMG was an Irish colonial administrator and a rugby union international.

Early life

Pike was born in Thurles in County Tipperary in 1904. In 1904, Ireland was a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
; Rugby international
In his youth, Pike was a keen sportsman: he played rugby union, usually as prop. He was good enough to play to international standard and represented Ireland, by then a divided nation politically but still fielding an All-Ireland rugby team, for two seasons. In 1927 and in 1928, Pike took part in 7 matches in the Five Nations Championship, playing against France and all the other Home Nations. In addition, Pike played for Britain in a test against Australia. In 1929 he played for London Irish.

Pike made his career in colonial administration, rising to become from 1954 to 1959 Governor and Commander-in-Chief of British Somaliland, now the unrecognized state of Somaliland, in international law a part of Somalia. In 1956, he was knighted, as a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George, to become Sir Theodore Pike.

Sir Theodore retired to Guildford in Surrey and died in 1987.